When grills kill

Air pollution and carcinogens are two hazards of barbecues

PHOTO COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES

Untitled Document
Warnings on bags of charcoal say carcinogens are
released when the briquettes are burned. Is it safe to breathe in the
smell of a charcoal grill? Barbecue grills can be problematic for two reasons.
First, both charcoal and wood burn “dirty,” producing not only
hydrocarbons but also tiny soot particles that pollute the air and can
aggravate heart and lung problems. Secondly, the grilling of meat can form
two kinds of potentially carcinogenic compounds: polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heterocyclic amines (HCAs).According to the American Cancer Society, PAHs form
when fat from meat drips onto the charcoal. They then rise with the smoke
and can be deposited on the food. They may also form directly on the food
as it is charred. The hotter the temperature and the longer the meat cooks,
the more HCAs are formed. HCAs can also form on broiled and pan-fried beef,
pork, fowl, and fish, not just on grilled meats. In fact, National Cancer
Institute researchers have identified 17 different HCAs that result from
the cooking of “muscle meats” and that may pose human cancer
risks. Studies have also shown increased risk of colorectal, pancreatic,
and breast cancers associated with high intake of well-done, fried or
barbecued meats. According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Air
Quality, Texans who like to say that they “live and breathe
barbecue” may be doing just that, to the detriment of their health. A
2003 study by scientists from Rice University found that microscopic bits
of polyunsaturated fatty acids released into the atmosphere from cooking
meat on backyard barbecues were helping pollute the air in Houston. The
city at times registers air-quality levels that rank it as one of the more
polluted U.S. urban areas, though emissions from barbecues are certainly
dwarfed by those generated by motor vehicles and industry. Both briquettes and lump charcoal create air
pollution. Lump charcoal, made from charred wood to add flavor, also
contributes to deforestation and adds to the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere. Charcoal briquettes do have the benefit of being made partly
from sawdust (a good use of waste wood), but popular brands may also
contain coal dust, starch, sodium nitrate, limestone, and borax. In Canada, charcoal is now a restricted product under
the Hazardous Products Act. According to the Canadian Department of
Justice, charcoal briquettes in bags that are advertised, imported, or sold
in Canada must display a label warning of the potential hazards of the
product. No such requirements now exist in the United States. Consumers can avoid exposure to these potentially
harmful additives by sticking with so-called natural charcoal brands. Noram
de Mexico’s Sierra Madre 100 percent oak hardwood charcoal contains
no coal, oil, limestone, starch, sawdust, or petroleum products and, to
boot, is certified by the Rainforest Alliance’s SmartWood program as
sustainably harvested. The product is available at select Sam’s Clubs
across the United States. Other manufacturers of all natural charcoal
include Greenlink and Lazzari, both of which can be found at natural-foods
outlets across North America.For more information: Rainforest
Alliance SmartWood Program,
www.rainforest-alliance.org/programs/forestry/smartwood; Greenlink
Charcoal, www.greenlinkcharcoal.com; Lazzari, www.lazzari.com. Send questions to Earth Talk, care of E/The Environmental Magazine,
P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881 or e-mail earthtalk@emagazine.com.